Caister crew’s skill prevents disaster

A SERIOUS environmental incident was averted by Caister’s lifeboat crew when they beached a damaged ship.
The 75ft multicat, Rebecca S, began taking on water through a hole in her side during a routine trip to the Scroby Sands windfarm at 3.45am on Saturday.

The eight-strong lifeboat crew spent more than a day pumping water out of the barge-like cargo ship after beaching her behind Yarmouth seafront so riveters could start repairing her. John Hemsworth, the borough council’s head of environmental health, said his team was called out to make sure there was no oil leaking from the stricken vessel as she was grounded. He added: “All credit has to go to the crew in the way they beached the ship.”

Dick Thurlow, lifeboat coxswain, said: “When we reached the Rebecca S we found her pumps had been unable to cope with the volume of water coming in.”
At noon, the crew decided to make temporary repairs and tow the ship three kilometres back to Yarmouth.

She was beached just behind the Sea Life Centre on Marine Parade at 1.30pm and riveters began patching the hole after high tide.
The Rebecca S is to go to Rotterdam for full repairs.

Towed to safety: Caister Lifeboat with the Rebecca S at Yarmouth, where emergency repairs were done.

Great Yarmouth Mercury Friday July 9th 2004